


Hero

by VenusWillow



Category: Justice League & Justice League Unlimited (Cartoons)
Genre: F/M, Mentions Of Mental Disabilities, Pregnancy, Sad, Underage Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-23
Updated: 2015-09-23
Packaged: 2018-04-22 23:31:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 888
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4854821
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VenusWillow/pseuds/VenusWillow
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Some days it's hard to tell if you're a hero or not. Especially if you're a Justice League member.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hero

                    The last Martian trudged wearily through an apartment hallway. The entire 10 story building was filled with the families of Justice League members so he did not bother to conceal his public form. However, it was becoming increasingly hard not to slip into his true Martian appearance. If he did & someone came along without his knowing... Well... He did not wish to give someone a heart attack. The toll on his body & mind from the day's work was not making it any easier as he dragged himself to the last door on the 6th door. The faded beige carpet muffled J'onn J'onzz's steps & the dimmed lights cast his shadow upon the dark sky blue walls with light beige moldings. As the Martian marched down the long rectangular hallway, he recalled the days' events.  
                    There had been several major natural disasters during the early part of J'onn's shift, including a level 9 tsunami on the East coast of Asia. With a large majority of the Justice League taking care of that, there was a very small supply of heroes to stop a super villain team up between Lex Luthor, Doctor Destiny & Sinestro. The Martian Manhunter himself had to fight one on one with Doctor Destiny & Luthor's battle robots. In addition to some extreme building damage, J'onn was badly injured by a battle robot's fire & was entrapped by Doctor Destiny's illusions until Speedy managed to free him. Moreover, a young girl was caught in a building's collapse... J'onn could not reach her in time.  
J'onn thought that perhaps working late would take his mind off of an innocent child's death... But now, at 3 am in the morning, he still thinks about her. J'onn himself informed the young child's parents about her untimely demise. They sobbed hugged their remaining child, a young boy bound to a wheelchair with no understand of the world around him. "T-T-Thank y-you f-f-f-for t-trying t-t-to s-s-s-save o-o-o-our A-Adie." the father had chocked out, "y-y-y-y-your're a-a-a h-hero." That last sentence kept ringing in the Martian's mind. 'You're a hero'... Was he? Was he a hero even though he failed at saving a child's life? J'onn sighed unhappily & rubbed his face tiredly. He stood outside of a dark green door at the end of the hall. It seemed like it had taken a millennium to reach his home on Earth. A gold number 12 glittered in the faded light as he opened the door.  
                    The apartment's lights were turned off, leaving the furniture shrouded in darkness. J'onn would never admit this, especially out loud, but he always feared that the darkness was The Shade lying in ambush for him. Pushing that thought to the side, J'onn lumbered past the living room/kitchen area & towards the master bedroom. The man from Mars quietly swung the door open. 3 large glass paneled windows allowed the moon's rays to filter through & illuminate a large square bed in the center of the room. A figure was lying in the bed, cotton/silk blend sheets draped the body.  
                    J'onn sat besides the figure who turned out to be a woman. He gently caressed her face before carefully nuzzling her pregnant belly bump with his hand. The last Martian hadn't meant to wake her, but when you enter a relationship with a creature of habit that likes working late, you start to memorize certain patterns, certain intuitions & certain touches. The woman slowly opened her tired eyes. "I did not mean to wake you." the Martian went back to stroking the woman's face as moon light fell across her face. "I know." the woman took J'onn's hand & held it against her cheek.  
                    J'onn steadily changed into his preferred shape. J'onn became taller, leaner, but still had his broad chest. His skin became plated & his neck elongated. His head curled backwards slightly as it grew longer. 5 sharp claws grew on the Martian's hands & his feet became 3 talons, much like a gargoyle's. Pupil-less eyes enlarged & turned into angled hexagons. J'onn then slipped under the covers behind the woman. An arm was curled protectively around her waist, a clawed hand rest on her stomach & their unborn child. The last Martian kisses the woman's cheek as she settles into the mattress & his chest. "You did all you could." she declares as sleep starts to take over the Martian. "I should have been able to save her." "You can't save everyone, you have to let it go." J'onn hugged the woman tighter. "I could have saved her." "No you couldn't." the woman sighs, mentally cursing every super villain & criminal known to the League, "you have to look past the bad & look towards the good." A sad smile quirks on the Manhunter's face. "Using my own words against me?" "They work don't they?" the woman lets a smile cross their own face. J'onn kisses her head once more, "I love you." "I love you too." she says as sleep takes over her thoughts.  
                    The next day, J'onn & his mate make a decision. Though they still have months to go, they decided what to name their child. If it's a boy, his name will be M'yrnn, after J'onn's wise & caring father. If she is a girl, then Adie, for a young girl who was the real hero. Because she made J'onn remember what it's like to be a hero.


End file.
